Cloth-measuring machine.



PATENTED MAR.'31, 190s.

G. G. RICHARDSON. GLOTH MEASURING MACHINE.

Arruommn II'LED AUG. 20. 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 a nu: 0a., wnumdnyn, n. c.

PATENTED MAR.- 31, 1908.

0. G. RICHARDSON. CLOTH MEASURING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 20, 1901.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. RICHARDSON, OF SPRINGFIELD VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO PARKS &WOOLSON MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF VERMONT.

CLOTH-MEASURING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Application filed August 20, 1901. Serial No. 72,653.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs G.-RicHARD- SON, citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Springfield, Vermont, county of Windsor, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cloth-MeasuringMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for measuring cloth or similarfabrics and is intended to provide a simple, efficient and reliabledevice for accurately measuring cloth.

The invention consists first in a new and improved construction ofmeasuring drum or cylinder by which the circumference of said cylindermay be varied to compensate for the stretch of cloth in such a way thatin all its positions of adjustment it retains the form of a truecylinder, thereby avoiding any obj ectionable features caused bythrowing the drum .out of true when making an adjust ment.

Another feature which characterizes my invention consists in providingmeans for automatically removing the cloth from its frictionalengagement with the drum and also delivering it to the folding devicewhen such a device is used on the machine.

These and other features which characterize my invention will be moreparticularly explained and defined in the specification and the claimshereto annexed.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation of acomplete machine embodying one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a planview of the measuring cylinder with means for removing the clothautomatically from its frictional engagement with said cylinder. Fig. 3is an end elevation of the part shown in Fig. 2 a portion thereof beingshown in section to more fully show the parts of the construction. Fig.4 is a detail in longitudinal vertical section showing the method ofsupporting the measuring surface or plate upon the heads of the drum orcylinder.

While I have shown a complete machine in the drawings it will benecessary to explain only such parts thereof as are necessary to a fullcomprehension of my present invention, it being understood that theform, construction and arrangement of parts may be greatly varied fromthat herein shown and described without departing from my invention.

In its general features the machine comprises a sultable framework a inwhich is mounted a shaft 12 carrying a measurlng cylinder or drum 0 overwhose periphery the cloth being measured passes, the periphery having aknown or predetermined measurement and being combined with any suitableindicating device for registering the number of revolutions of themeasuring cylinder. In this case the drum comprises a plurality ofskeleton heads or wheels 0 which may be grooved or channeled at theirperipheries as shown at c to form a circumferential channel in which arearranged a series of bowed springs a so as to surround each wheel orhead. A flat sheet of flexible material 0 preferably sheet metal, whoselength is approximately equal to the desired circumference of themeasuring drum or cylinder is laid around the heads so as to rest uponand be supported by the bowed springs c in such a manner that the endsof the sheet metal plate or strip almost meet. If desired stiffeningbands of metal may be interposed between the fiexible sheet 0 and thebowed supporting springs 0 so as to prevent any inward spring ordepression of the flexible sheet 0 between the points of support formedby two adjacent springs. This construction permits the use of very thinsheet metal for the measuring surface.

At the place where the two ends of the sheet metal plate 0 meet I employsuitable connecting means for holding them together in their desiredrelationship. The means herein shown for this purpose comprises a rightand left screw 0 provided with a nut intermediate of its ends to permitready adjustment of the screw. As will be readily understood the turningof this screw .0 in one direction draws the two ends of the sheet metalplate 0 close together thereby compressing the bowed springs whichsupport the plate and reducing the circumferential measure of the drumor cylinder. The turning of the adjusting screw in the reverse directioncauses the two ends of the peripheral plates to move apart suchexpansive movement being accompanied by the expansion of the bowedsprings. As the tension of the springs is e ual all the way around thecircumference, it wi be seen that the expansion of the cylinder is notconfined to any one part but is evenly distribl uted throughout thewhole circumference of -measuring cylinder may be employed.

the drum thus avoiding any eccentricity of the drum as it is expanded orcontracted which would be produced if the expansion or con traction wasconfined to a portion only of the circumference of the drum. In otherwords by this contrivance I provide a practically continuous surfacewhich may be contracted or expanded readily in all directions to securethe desired adjustment in the circumference of the cylinder.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art the adjustment of thecircumferential measure of the cylinder is made for the purpose ofadapting the machine to accurately measure fabrics of different degreesof elasticity.

In order to prevent slip of the fabric upon the cylinder the peripheralplate 0 is provided with a rough or frictional surface. A

convenient surface for this purpose is obtained by coating theperipheral surface with fine sand so that the cloth will have a suffi-'cient frictional engagement with the surface to prevent slip. As thesanded surface of the cylinder causes the cloth to hug closely to thecylinder as the latter rotates, I have devised means for automaticallystripping or removing the cloth from its frictional engagement with thecylinder. The particular form of invention which I have herein shown comprises a plurality of belts e e which pass around pulleys e carried bythe shaft 1), the

radii of said pulleys being shorter than theradius of the measuring drumso that the surface of the pulleys lies below or inside of the surfaceof the drum so that the belts passed around said pulleys are entirelybelow the contact surface or periphery of the drum for the greater partof its circumference, the j belts passing outside of and intersectingthe peripheral surface of the drum at the points where it is desired toremove or strip off the cloth. In order to conveniently effect this theperiphery of the .drum is made in three sections as clearly indicated inFig. 2, a narrow space being left between the sections to permit thebelt to pass inside of the drum and around their respective pulleys e.The belts 6 also pass over a roller 6 arranged some dis tance outside ofthe drum on that side of the drum which is opposite the point where thecloth is fed to the drum.

At the front or feed side of the machine any suitable feed table ordevice may be provided as shown at f, Fig. 1. I have also shown a weightbar or roll f to act as a tension device to keep the cloth taut.

Any suitable indicating mechanism for registering the number ofrevolutions of the In this case I have shown a pivoted arm or lever 9provided with a awl or dog 9 arranged to engage the teeth of acircumferential ratchet wheel 9 The pivoted arm 9 is operated by meansof the eccentric cam y so that each .here shown the cam will cause thisarm to move the ratchet wheel twice for each com plete revolution of theshaft 6. If the drum is adjusted so that its circumference is two yardsplus or minus whatever allowance may be necessary to be made for thestretch of the fabric, then each complete revolution of the shaft anddrum will move the ratchet wheel forward two yards. The ratchet wheelmay be provided with a suitable pointer and scale as indicated at g andmay be marked to indicate the number of yards to which its movementcorresponds so that the operator can readily read the measurement as thecloth passes through the machine.

I may provide at the rear'or delivery side of the machine a suitablefolder. I have shown such a device here comprising an oscillating framed actuated by a pitman rod d from a gear wheel (P. The roller 6 may bepositioned so as to deliver the cloth into the oscillating frame orfolder d after it has been stripped from the measuring cylinder.

The operation of the device is as follows: The cloth is fed in by handfrom the feed table f and under the weight bar or rollf and its end isplaced in contact with the rough surface of the cylinder. Starting withthe indicator at the zero point, it will be obvious that as the drumturns and the cloth moves along in contact with the frictional surfaceof the drum, the registering device will be actuated by the rotation ofthe drum, the ratchet wheel moving around step by step with each upwardoscillation of the arm g. This action continues until the whole piece ofcloth has passed over the drum, the cloth being fed out away from thedrum on the farther side continuously by means of the feed out or stripping belts e. In case it is desired to measure some unusuallydistensible fabric such as cheese-cloth the length of the circumferenceof the drum may be increased by turning the adjusting screws 0 until thecylinder is sufficiently enlarged to compensate for the extra stretch ofthe fabric. In measuring a nondistensible fabric the opposite adjustmentshould be made to compensate.

As the amount of stretch in the short length of fabric represented bythe circumference of the drum is comparatively small it is not necessaryto leave a wide space between the two ends of the peripheral plateswhich form the contact surface for the-cloth. This construction givestherefore a practically continuous surface that in all positions ofadjustment is concentric with the axis of the drum and also aflords asimple and convenient means for automatically preventing the winding ofthe cloth around the drum after it has passed over the to Withoutattempting to set orth the manifold changes in form, construction andarrangement that may be made in the practice of my invention or all theuses to which it may be applied, what I claim is:

1. A cloth measuring machine embracing in combination a plurality ofheads, a series of supporting springs arranged about the periphery ofthe heads, a flexible cloth supporting surface resting on said springs,means for varying the circumferential measure of the cloth supportingsurface, substantially as described.

2. In a measuring machine, a measuring cylinder having a cylindricalsurface for engaging the cloth to be measured, and means whereby allparts of the cylinder may be drawn equally on radial lines toward oraway from the center in order'to vary the circumferential measure of thecylinder without' causing any eccentricity thereof, substantially asdescribed.

3. A measuring cylinder for a cloth measuring machine embracing in itsconstruction, a plurality of radially contractible and expansible headsor supports, a flexible sheet metal plate adapted to be supported aboutthe periphery of said heads to form a substantially continuouscylindrical surface, and means for contracting and expanding the peripheral measurement of said cylinder without impairing its cylindricalform, substantially as described.

4. A cloth measuring machine embracing in combination a rotatablemeasuring cylinder whose peripheral surface is adapted to frictionallyengage and draw forward the cloth, a registering device operativelyconnected therewith to record the revolutions of said cylinder, atraveling carrier for automatically stripping the cloth from itsfrictional engagement with said measuring cylinder as the cloth passesover the surface of the cylinder, substantially as described.

5. A cloth measuring machine embracing in combination a rotatablemeasuring cylinder whose periphery is roughened to engage and carryforward the cloth, a folding device, and a conveyer for stripping thecloth from its frictional engagement with the measuring cylinder andconducting it to the folding device, substantially as described.

6. In a measuring machine the combination of the measuring cylinder, aroll arranged outside of the cylinder, a plurality of belts arranged topass around the axis of the cylinder below its operative surface andalso around. said roll, substantially as described.

7. In a cloth measuring machine the combination of the expansiblemeasuring cylinder whose surface is made in longitudinal sectionsslightly separated from one another,

a series of pulleys arranged to turn with saidcylinder in the planes ofthe divisions between the sections, and a series of belts arranged topass over said. pulleys inside of the operative portion of the peripheryof the cylinder and to pass outside of the peripheral surface of thecylinder at the points where the cloth is to be removed, substantiallyas described.

8. In a cloth measuring machine the measuring cylinder embracing incombination the integral heads, a series of springs arranged around theperiphery of each head, a flexible sheet metal plate arranged to extendaround and rest upon said springs with its ends slightly separated, andmeans for drawing together the adjacent ends of the sheet metal platesto contract the circumferential measure of the cylinder against thetension of the su porting springs, substantially as de scribed? 9. In acloth measuring machine the measuring cylinder embracing in combinationthe cylindrical heads provided with peripheral grooves or channels, aseries of bowed springs arranged around the periphery of the heads andresting in said channels, a flexible plate, a cloth supporting surfacesupported upon said springs and being capable of contraction orexpansion in order to vary the circumferentia measure of the cylinder,substantially as described.

10. In a cloth measuring machine the measuring cylinder embracing thecombination of a series of supporting heads, a series of supportingsprings arranged around the peripheries of said heads, and a clothsupporting and engaging surface resting upon said springs, and means forvarying the effective circumference of the drum by compressing said.springs or allowing them to expand, substantially as described.

11. A measuring cylinder embracing in its construction a shaft, a seriesof sheet metal cylindrical sections secured to said shaft, a series ofulleys arranged between the sections, said pulleys being of smallerdiameter than the sections, a roll situated on the de-- livery side ofthe measuring cylinder, and a series of belts assing over said pulleysand around said ro substantially as described.

12. In a cloth measuring machine, a measuring cylinder embracing in itsconstruction a sh ell formed of a sheet metal plate bent intocylindrical form with its opposite edges held near together,compressible heads arranged to form an internal support for saidcylindrical surface, means for drawing the adjacent edges of the shellnearer together, said means acting to compress the internal supports,substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 17th day of August1901.

CHARLES G. RICHARDSON.

In the presence of- FRANK STONE, CHAS. O. KEYEs.

